6 replies to this topic

[david i]

I've long been fond of Sheaffer's metal flat top pens from the 1910's-1920's. High quality, beautiful and likely more scarce than many of the better known Waterman and Wahl meta pensl, these often can be found at reasonable cost but also offer high-cachet items for more advanced collectors. Sterling, gold-filled, and solid gold are known to me. I've shown most of my collection-- and others joined the party-- in this thread...

http://fountainpenbo...mini-collection

I'm also fond-- as are many collectors who've played at old pens for awhile-- of hunting esoteric, off catalogue, disproportionately rare items that have significant collector cachet in the mysterious circle of "those who know". Some are glitzy, but the point is not the glitz. It's not just rarity either, though most are rare. These pens have a high level historical/mystical charm- often with interesting quirks of context- for those collectors who know of them. I've had the grand opportunity to photograph many and over the years have had the chance to acquire a few.

You can have a peek at (and see discussion for) my Wahl made-for-Denmark orange Equi-Poised (uncatalogued in USA. I've seen two and own one), oversized Wahl flat top personal point known to collectors as the Deco Band in uncatalogued Flamingo color (I know of perhaps three or four and own one), Wahl Doric in uncatalogued Black/Pearl (several known to the hobby, I own one), Parker Vacumatic Solid Gold Imperial Coronet (I know of five. I own one. Tiny peek in this photo) in this thread

http://fountainpenbo...o-pen-show-2011

I believe I've had the chance now to add one of this sort to my collection from the Sheaffer flat-top era. I grabbed a gold-filled metal flat-top Sheaffer at the Raleigh Pen Show in May 2011. Offhand I've not seen it in catalogues, though Roger is better steeped in the catalogue data than an I and might differ as to catalogued status.

The key to this pen is noting that unlike Waterman, which made overlays in most sizes including the usual "oversized" Wateraman56, Parker Duofold Senior, Sheaffer Lifetime Sr zone as well as even larger near-Giant 58 size and true giant 20 size, Sheaffer's metal pens tend to be right skinny things. Most Sheaffer metal pens found are ringtops as well as slender clip pens with #2-size nibs and slightly chunkier still slender "big" pens with #3 nibs. Essentially all metal Sheaffers are slender things.

Once, a few years back, I had chance to examine a Sheaffer metal pen that was oversized- size again in range of Waterman 56 and Sheaffer OS Lifetime plastic pen. Pen had broken clip and no nib. But, at Raleigh, I bought one in decent shape, brassed at the butt but intact and clean overall, from a fellow Sheaffer collector who actually has more than one of these. Amazing. I've now seen one intact pen, and taking his word of having a couple more at home and counting the broken example mentioned, In 13 years collecting I now know of four of these. And now I have one in my own collection.

More below, but let's take peek at the pen.

How to value such a pen? How to place it in the cachet hierarchy?

This is a common theme to my pen commentaries. The pen is not solid gold. Sheaffer in this era offered solid gold pens, also not common, that probably have 600 dollars of gold in them at current prices. This thing has a $25-in-gold nib and trivial metal value to pen itself. But, I assert that this one trumps the collector value even of most of the solid gold pens, due to the size, rarity and collector oomph (to those who know). Yeah, I cannot prove all that

Still, I'm very happy to have this one.

Here is another shot, next to what usually is considered a large metal Sheaffer, in this case a gold-filled vine pattern pen in #3-nib full length size (probably narrower than a Waterman 52). The first shot probably underestimates the girth of the big pen I just obtained, as the image is a bit washed out into backdrop. The open-nib shot shows the size difference better.

And, the party just kept getting better at the Raleigh Show. The next pen (bottom pen in the following shot) I also acquired at Raleigh. It again is an oversized Sheaffer metal pen in terms of girth, but is a stubby ringtop model, the first of this sort I've ever seen. It is rather dented, but... I took it anyway.

Here again is most of my personal collection of metal Sheaffer flat-tops, prior to my acquiring the two fat pens shown above.

In my view, the OS metal 1920's Sheaffer-- even flying under the radar as it does with most collectors-- is up there with some of the other mythic collectable old pens, even if less valuable in current markets.

I'm curious if you agree.

regards

David

[Pedro]

A gilded OS Flat Top. Very, vey nice.
Looks like identical chasing and that the cap does not close all the way on the two "fatties".
Would you restore the brassing?

[david i]

A gilded OS Flat Top. Very, vey nice.
Looks like identical chasing and that the cap does not close all the way on the two "fatties".
Would you restore the brassing?

Nope.

This is a museum level pen, even if not in classic "museum" condition

Then again, not all the pens you shot recently at the Sheaffer Museum are in museum condition so at least the company would be appropriate.

This one best left as is. Even if I had the butt end plated (which is not same as restoring, per se), the fragile chasing would not be restored, and it would look a bit weird I believe.

regards

david

[david i]

Ah, I knew I had a photo somewhere of the only other oversized metal 1920's Sheaffer I've seen. Figure I'd forgotten I'd already posted it in other thread here at the Board.

I was lucky to shoot this one, though I don't own it. As noted in my initial post, "Once, a few years back, I had chance to examine a Sheaffer metal pen that was oversized- size again in range of Waterman 56 and Sheaffer OS Lifetime plastic pen. Pen had broken clip and no nib.."

The fellow who sold me the cleaner one I showed at start of this thread reportedly has a couple others. That gives us, I suppose, four known pens.

Here is the one I shot a few years back. Despite the condition, it was an honor to handle and to photograph it.

regards

David

[Roger W.]

The Sheaffer museum has an example in the collection.

Roger W.

[david i]

The Sheaffer museum has an example in the collection.

Roger W.

That gives us around 6 then. Well more scarce than the Parker Snake

-d

[Pedro]

Photos added to Sheaffer Pen Museum thread, hopefully showing said item.